With respect to Items 2, 3, 4 and 5, the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast is required for approval, assuming a quorum is present. With respect to Item 3, because your vote is advisory, it will not be binding upon the Board; however, the Human Resources Committee and the Board have in the past considered and will continue to consider the outcome of the vote when making decisions for future executive compensation arrangements.
Brokers have discretionary authority to vote with respect to the ratification of the appointment of independent registered public accountants. Brokers do not have discretionary authority to vote with respect to the other proposals. Abstentions and broker non-votes will therefore have no effect on Items 1, 3, 4 and 5.
Q. What is a Broker Non-Vote?
If you are a beneficial owner whose shares are held in “street name” (i.e., of record by a broker, bank, trustee, or other nominee), you must instruct the broker, bank, trustee or other nominee how to vote your shares. If you do not provide voting instructions, your shares will not be voted on any proposal on which the broker, bank, trustee or other nominee does not have discretionary authority to vote. This is called a “broker non-vote.” In these cases, the nominee can register your shares as being present at the Annual Meeting for purposes of determining the presence of a quorum but will not be able to vote on those matters for which specific authorization is required. For the 2024 meeting, your broker does not have discretionary authority to vote on the election of directors, on the advisory vote to approve the Company’s executive compensation (or, “Say-on-Pay” vote), on the approval of the 2024 Omnibus Incentive Plan, or on the approval of the Amended and Restated Employee Stock Purchase Plan. Without instructions from you, a broker non-vote will occur and your shares will not be voted on these matters. Accordingly, it is particularly important that beneficial owners instruct their brokers how they wish to vote their shares.
Q. Can I Change My Vote or Revoke My Proxy?
Yes. You may change or revoke your proxy by sending in a new proxy card with a later date, casting a new vote by telephone or Internet (not later than the deadline of 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on May 21, 2024), or sending a written notice of revocation to our Corporate Secretary at Dentsply Sirona’s Corporate Headquarters, 13320 Ballantyne Corporate Place, Charlotte, NC 28277. If you attend the meeting and wish to vote at the meeting, you may request that your previously submitted proxy be revoked and cast a vote at the meeting.
Q. What is the Deadline to Submit a Proposal pursuant to Rule 14a-8 for the 2024 Annual Meeting?
The Company’s Proxy Statement for the 2024 Annual Meeting of Stockholders was released on April 10, 2024. Accordingly, stockholder proposals that are intended to be presented at the Company’s Annual Meeting to be held in 2025 must be received by the Company no later than December 11, 2024, and must otherwise comply with Rule 14a-8 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), in order to be included in the Proxy Statement and proxy relating to that meeting. See “Other Matters – Nominating Candidates for Election to the Board or Proposing Other Business to be Brought before the Annual Meeting” for more information regarding procedures for stockholders seeking to nominate persons for election to the Board, or to propose other business to be brought before an Annual Meeting of Stockholders outside of Rule 14a-8.
Q. Why Haven’t I Received a Printed Copy of the Proxy Statement or Annual Report?
We are taking advantage of SEC rules that allow companies to furnish proxy materials to stockholders via the Internet. This allows us to avoid printing and mailing proxy materials to stockholders who prefer to review the materials online. If you received a Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials, or “Notice,” by mail, you will not receive a printed copy of the proxy materials, unless you submit a specific request.
The Notice instructs you on how to access and review all of the important information contained in the Proxy Statement and annual report as well as how to submit your proxy over the Internet. If you received the Notice and would still like to receive a printed copy of the proxy materials, you should follow the instructions for requesting these materials included in the Notice. We plan to mail the Notice to stockholders by April 12, 2024.